Traralgon South pay it forward

On the fourth anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires the students and staff of Traralgon South Primary School are lending a hand to the bushfire affected Donnelly Primary School in Tasmania. The school is contributing books and stationery to other goods being donated by the Traralgon South community to those in Donnelly.

Principal of the Traralgon South Primary School, Joel Fraser, says the main focus for the school this year is to 'pay forward' the support they've received over the past few years.

"Today we've asked that all our students bring in an item to donate," Mr Fraser says.

The items the students brought in will be added to a shipping container worth of goods being donated by the Traralgon South community.

The school is also aiming to sponsor some of the students of Donnelly Primary School to come over and stay with families in the Traralgon South area as part holiday that will include a trip to Melbourne's tourist attractions.

"[They will] have a look around our area, see where areas have burnt and how they've recovered and to have a bit of a holiday, similar to what was afforded to us in 2009 from a school in Queensland," Mr Fraser says.

Students and staff of the school paused for a minutes silence today to remember the Black Saturday bushfires, in which many in their community lost their homes.

"It's about remembering that this bushfire event occurred but also realising that we're ready to move on and things are being rebuilt, the environment has re-grown and the kids lives in particular are getting back to normal," says Mr Fraser.

Tonight after a memorial service at the Traralgon South Hall, there will be a call out for volunteers to be part of a crew heading to Donnelly to help with the bushfire clean up.